


amazing is the only word

by graced



Category: One Direction
Genre: A ridiculous amount of fluff, Fluff, Harry is a baker and Louis is a teacher, I know it's cliche but just bear with me, M/M, Medical Inaccuracies, Mpreg, also, oh yes also this is very much an AU, yes I know I'm sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-07
Updated: 2015-07-19
Packaged: 2018-04-03 06:27:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 12,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4090492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/graced/pseuds/graced
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry has a bump and then a baby.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 6 Weeks

**Author's Note:**

> hellooo! this is my first mpreg! ahh!! the little bits and pieces will be new chapters and i'll post them as i go! thanks to the amazing monie (troyevevo on tumblr) for inspiring me and I hope you guys think this is as cute as we do!

_6 weeks_

 

Harry wakes up to a funny feeling beneath his ribcage that he can’t quite place. The room is dark, the curtains drifting ever so slightly in the early morning breeze. He sits up and looks over at the clock, which reads 4:30 for a very short time before swimming before his eyes as his head spins, leaving him choked and desperate. He quickly pulls back the covers and sways to his feet, clutching his stomach and lunging towards the toilet. He reaches the toilet just in time, knees giving out as he empties his stomach. He clutches the cool, white porcelain, laying his burning forehead against the seat and trying to regain his breath. He hears footsteps outside the bathroom and Louis comes through the doorway in his sleep shirt and boxers, looking soft and sleepy with his hair mussed and a bit flat on one side.

“Hey, hey,” he says tenderly, kneeling down beside Harry to rub soothing circles into his back. He knows about the baby, of course. Harry’d bought the tests at the pharmacy right after work a week or so before. At least ten tests had littered the sink while his heart ticked away the seconds in perfect sync with the timer on his phone. He’d scanned the boxes, checking and double-checking the signs; every single test turned up positive, pink lines and plus signs staring up at him. He'd broken down and rushed to tell Louis as soon as he gathered himself, almost breaking the speed limit driving to the school where Louis worked to tell him the news and effectively rendering Louis (as well as his entire drama class) almost completely useless for the rest of the day.

Harry slumps weakly against the toilet, exhausted. Louis stands up, removing his small, warm hands from Harry’s back, and Harry lets out a tiny whine, feeling cold and sweaty and miserable. He hears the tap running briefly, and soon Louis is lowering a glass of cool water to his lips and pushing back the damp hair that clings to his face to press a washcloth to his forehead.

"You're alright, love, you're both gonna be alright," he whispers, kissing Harry's jaw.

"I feel awful, Lou," Harry replies weakly, "This baby means everything to me but she's making me feel awful." He has a feeling the baby's a girl; he's not sure why, he just...knows. He lays his head against Louis' s shoulder and Louis pulls him into a warm embrace.

"I know, Haz, 'm sorry," he says sympathetically, kissing Harry's eyelids, which have fluttered shut. "I'll bring you back to bed now and you can get some sleep for you and the baby, yeah?"

Harry nods and Louis pulls him to his feet, slinging his arm around Harry's waist and guiding him back to bed.


	2. 13 Weeks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Week 13: Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. If you're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Your baby is almost 3 inches long (about the size of a pea pod) and weighs nearly an ounce."
> 
> or
> 
> Harry gets his ultrasound examination and makes a friend in the process.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so the whole "ten chapters" thing is a little tentative because i only have 9 of them written but i'll definitely be writing a tenth sometime soon! in the meantime have harry with cute little kids and that gel stuff they put on your tummy when you get an ultrasound! also I AM SO SORRY FOR THE MEDICAL INACCURACY I'M DEF NOT A NURSE (NOT YET, ANYWAY) AND I HAVE VERY LITTLE IDEA HOW THESE APPOINTMENTS GO :(((
> 
> also there's a LOT of dialogue in this one, sorry about that, but the little kid is so cute that it's totally worth it

_13 weeks_

Louis parks the car near the front of the nearly empty lot of the hospital and shuts off the ignition. It's a soft, grey sort of day, with a warm wind sending the clouds drifting lazily across the sky. There are only a few other cars in the lot, Harry notices. He wonders what they're doing here and hopes they feel as lucky as he does.

 

"Ready?" Louis asks, his soft voice breaking the comfortable silence.

 

Harry takes a deep breath. "Ready." He reaches across his lap to unbuckle his seatbelt, his hand brushing softly over his tummy. By the time he turns to open his door, Louis has already opened it and is standing there with outstretched arms, looking at Harry with a soft smile on his face. Harry pulls himself up and out of the car and snuggles into Louis' open arms. It's a Saturday, which means Louis hasn't had to shave for school, and there's a little layer of stubble that scratches against Harry's face when he ducks his head down to kiss Louis' neck.

 

"Ready?" Louis asks again, closing the car door after pulling away with one last kiss to Harry's temple.

 

"Ready," Harry nods, taking Louis' hand.

 

The waiting room is surprisingly lovely for a hospital, with sunny yellow walls that have a calming effect, instead of the usual stark, glaring white. The room is empty except for a balding receptionist and a woman with her child, a tiny little thing with dark hair who looks like he's about four years old. He looks up from his masterpiece (a little tower of multi-colored Legos) when Harry and Louis come in and gives them an enthusiastic little wave, which Harry returns with a smile. His mother looks up from a clipboard full of paperwork and gives them a little smile too, then resumes her scribbling.

 

Once they've checked in at the desk, they find seats next to the window and settle down to wait. Louis sets his bag down next to his chair and takes out a stack of essays and a purple pen (he never corrects in red, he's told Harry, because red is "quite a strong color" and he doesn't want to seem overbearing) and begins to read through the papers.

 

Harry picks up a magazine from the table next to him, but quickly loses interest in it after one article starts having a go at Angelina Jolie. He closes the magazine and plops it back on the table, looking out the window at the drifting clouds.

 

All of a sudden, he feels a pair of tiny hands grasp at his knee and hears a lispy little voice.

 

"Are you having a baby?" It's the little boy he'd seen when he came in.

 

"I am." Harry nods, a bit startled but smiling at him nonetheless.

 

"Is it a boy baby or a girl baby?" the boy asks, scratching the side of his head with a Lego.

 

"I don't know yet," Harry answers truthfully. "We're going to find out today," he continues, gesturing to Louis, who looks up and offers the little boy a warm smile and a quick hello before looking back down, circling something with his pen and shaking his head.

 

"D'you want to know a secret, though?" Harry says quietly, leaning forward in a confidential manner. The child nods vigorously, his dark curls bouncing wildly, and leans in closer, his little body pressed against Harry's knee.

 

"I think it's a baby girl," Harry whispers. The boy nods seriously after regarding Harry's tummy thoughtfully.

 

"Me too," he says, and then leans forward again, this time reaching out towards Harry's tummy.

 

"Hi, little baby," he whispers earnestly, his tiny fingers coming to rest on the little swell of Harry's tummy, "how are you?" He pauses, and Harry's heart swells and warms as silence fills the room again. After a moment, he nods and resumes his whispering, apparently to reply to the baby. "I'm good, too."

 

Harry's heart thumps in his chest; this little boy is the gentlest child he's ever seen, touching his tummy so tenderly and talking to the baby so earnestly. He regains control of his melting heart just as the boy asks, "Would you like to play Legos with me?"

 

"Of course," Harry grins, and the little boy reaches for his hand and takes it in his own tiny one, and the sheer slightness of his hand astonishes Harry. He looks at Louis, who gives a fond little nod. Harry slides off of his chair and is led to the play area by the boy, where he carefully seats himself cross-legged among the Legos. The boy pushes a small pile of them towards Harry and says, "Can you help me build a city? Please?"

 

Harry nods, taking a handful of Legos and beginning to build a tiny, multi-colored skyscraper out of the little plastic pieces. When he finishes the building, he places it on the floor and begins another.

 

"My mummy's having a baby, too," says the little boy in a conversational manner, breaking the silence.

 

"Is she, then?" Harry replies, "congratulations." He looks up from his creation and smiles at the boy. "Is it a little boy or a little girl?"

 

"A boy, of course, just like me!" The boy starts waving his hands, still clutching a Lego as he tells Harry all about his hopes for his baby brother. "His name's gonna be Gabriel," he finishes with a flourish of the Lego.

 

"Gabriel. That's a nice name," Harry smiles, putting the finishing touches on a squat little office building and realizing he hadn't properly introduced himself, and while it was probably excusable that he hadn't and it had most likely gone over the child's head, he still felt a bit rude.

 

"I'm Harry, by the way," he says, placing his hand on his chest, "and that's Louis." He points to the corner where Louis is sitting, still flipping through the pages of his students' work, then turns back to the child. "What's your name?"

 

"My name's Edward," he says, grimacing a bit as if he doesn't quite like his full name, "but everybody jus' calls me Eddy."

 

"It's very nice to meet you," Harry says as he reaches out to shake the boy's tiny hand. "Can I tell you something, Eddy?"

 

Eddy nods, leaning closer once again.

 

"Edward's my middle name," Harry says with a smile, and the boy wiggles, grinning ecstatically.

 

"We share a name!" he shouts, making the receptionist, his mother, and Louis all look up. His mother quickly sets down her clipboard and pen, her eyebrows drawing together and her hand moving quickly to the curve of her tummy.

 

"I'm so sorry," she says to Harry, voice strained in concern. "Has he been bothering you?"

 

"Not at all," Harry replies, smiling warmly at the woman and shaking his head. "He was quite nicely letting me play with his Legos, actually." He turns his body towards the woman, cradling his belly with one hand for support, even though there's not much of a bump to speak of yet. Eddy follows, crawling up next to Harry on his hands and knees and then kneeling in front of his mother with his little hands clasped behind his back.

 

"Honestly, he was no trouble at all," Harry continues, "you've done a lovely job teaching him how to be a little gentleman." He turns to Eddy, who beams at him. "He told me all about his little brother, too...congratulations, by the way," he continues with a smile.

 

"Thank you," says Eddy's mum, smiling a little and glancing down at her belly. She looks as if she's about eight months along, and she's handled it quite well; she's kept her glow, even with little Eddy around, and Harry finds himself a bit in awe of her.   
  
"Abigail? We're ready for you now," comes a voice from beside the receptionist's desk. Harry turns around to see a tall, rather plump nurse with dark hair and a friendly face who's clad in light pink scrubs with a clipboard held against her side. Eddy's mother looks up, a bit startled, and then gathers her papers and purse and takes Eddy by the hand. She turns to Harry, thanking him over and over for spending his time with Eddy.   
  
"No, no, thank you," he says warmly, "he's quite a lovely boy. Good luck with your appointment!"   
  
She smiles gratefully and turns to follow the nurse, and Eddy gives him a little wave over his shoulder.   
  
Harry waves back and then turns to the little city of Legos in front of him, smiling as he scoops them back into their container, the little clinking of the pieces filling the silence as he cleans. When he finally finishes, he stands up, cradling his tummy again as he heads back towards Louis.   
  
Louis gazes at him intently with a little smile spreading across his face as Harry sits down, papers and pen quite forgotten. Harry turns to look at him.   
  
"What?"   
  
"You." Louis is quiet for a moment. "You were so good with him," he continues, his smile shining across his whole face and oh, Harry feels so lucky to have married a man whose smile is as bright and warm as the sun.   
  
"He was really sweet, Lou," Harry replies, looking down down at his lap and covering his belly with his palm. "I can't wait to meet ours."

 

Louis reaches for Harry's hand, intertwining their fingers and giving a loving squeeze just as the nurse comes back.

 

"Harry?" she calls. "We're ready for you now."

 

Harry looks over at Louis, who nods encouragingly and begins gathering his papers and pen and shoving them back into his bag. Harry stands up and crosses the room, Louis following close behind him.

 

"Follow me, please," says the nurse, turning on her heel and leading the way down a corridor lined with little rooms. Harry searches for Louis' hand with his own, grasping it tightly when he finds it, and they follow the nurse down the corridor.

 

"You alright?" Louis says in a soft whisper.

 

"A little nervous." Harry's whisper breaks a bit and Louis squeezes his hand. Harry is about to continue when the nurse stops, turning the handle of the door to a little room that holds a thing that looks like a computer monitor perched on an elevated desk beside an examination table, which has a chair on the other side of it.

 

The nurse introduces herself as Katie, and then says, "Doctor Howe will be in shortly, and in the meantime you can make yourselves comfortable. Can I do anything for you?"

 

Harry shakes his head. "Ehm, 'm alright, but thank you so much."

 

The nurse nods. "Alright," she says cheerily, "the doctor will be here soon." She gives them one last smile and closes the door behind her, leaving them alone in the quiet room.

 

Louis plops into the chair, a rather ugly green thing with whitish armrests, while Harry stands there, looking at the table. It has a blue sheet covering it, the kind with the elastic corners that stretch over the edges, and is slightly curved up at the top end so that when he sits on it, he'll be half-sitting and half-laying. He gingerly hoists himself onto it, swinging his legs up and realizing that they're just long enough that they hang off the edge. He draws them up and rolls over so that he's curled up with his face towards Louis, who looks up at him.

 

"You alright?" he asks, reaching up to stroke Harry's cheek reassuringly.

 

"Yeah, 'm okay," Harry replies, "just a little sleepy." He closes his eyes, taking Louis' hand in his own and kisses his knuckles. He hears Louis set down his papers and hears the chair creak slightly as Louis leans over to plant a warm, slow kiss on his lips. Harry keeps his eyes shut as he melts into Louis' kiss, sighing softly.

 

He hears the door open just then and he pulls away, his eyes flying open. He hears the doctor chuckle before he even sees her.

 

"So, who've we got here? You must be Harry and Louis."

 

A tall, thin woman with square glasses and long, mouse-brown hair that falls past her shoulders in ringlets shuts the door behind her. Her white coat is open, revealing a light blue shirt with tiny white dots on it.

 

"Um...'m Harry, and this," he glances at Louis, blushing a little, "is Louis."

 

The doctor introduces herself and shakes both Harry and Louis' hands before placing her clipboard on the little desk beside Harry's bed with a click and telling him to lay down.

 

"Let's get started then, shall we?" she says, taking a little tube of blue stuff from the drawer and turning on the little machine beside the bed.

 

"This'll be a little cold," she warns Harry before lifting up his shirt and squeezing some of the blue stuff onto his skin.

 

The gel is indeed quite cold, and Harry squirms a bit as she rubs it on his belly with the little wand. Louis squeezes his hand tightly as a grainy image appears on the screen.

 

"That's your baby, right there," says Doctor Howe, adjusting the wand on Harry's belly so that she can get a better look, and Harry's heart swells as she points out the head and the tiny feet.

 

Finally, she looks away from the screen. "Would you like to know your baby's sex?" she asks, looking from Harry to Louis and back again.

 

Harry can feel Louis' gaze and he tears his eyes away from the screen to look at him.

 

"It's up to you, love," Louis says softly, his mouth curving into a gentle smile. Harry turns back to the doctor and nods shyly.

 

The doctor points at the screen and smiles up at them. "This is your little girl."

 

And Harry's gone. Tears well up in his eyes, then slip down his cheeks as a watery smile creeps onto his face. Louis clutches his hand even tighter, tears falling from his own eyes as the doctor informs them that they should have a healthy baby girl on the 11th of December.

 

"I've got another appointment soon, so I've got to leave you two," she says warmly. "Would you like a copy of the pictures?" Harry nods and doesn't even have to look at Louis to know that he's nodding too.

 

Doctor Howe nods, smiling, and lets herself out of the room, excusing herself and telling them she'll see them in a few months for the next appointment. The little room is quiet now, filled only with the low hum of the computer.

 

"We're having a baby, Lou," Harry sniffles. "A little baby girl of our own."

 

Their heads fall towards one another and Louis kisses the tears off of Harry's cheeks.

 

"We're having a baby," he says.

 

 


	3. 14 Weeks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry can't keep his hands off his tummy, but neither can Louis (or their cat).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hiiii sorry this is so short but for some reason i really wanted to include the fact that they have a kitten ahh

_14 weeks_

Harry's barely even showing yet, for goodness sake. And yet, here he is, sitting on the floor with his shirt tucked up and his hands on his belly, staring in complete awe. He's a little surprised when he starts whispering, when quiet declarations of "I love you, Bug," slip out of his mouth in little bursts of hushed adoration. He's been sitting cross-legged in front of the mirror for almost half an hour now and both his legs are asleep and the sunlight has begun to fade, bathing him in blue-grey twilight. He knows Louis will be home soon, knows that he should really clean up a bit. But it's worth the morning sickness just for this, just for knowing there's a tiny life growing inside of him, a tiny person that's half of him and half of Louis. God, how did he get so lucky?  
  
He hears the door open, hears Louis' voice reverberate through the house as he calls out to Harry. "That'll be your daddy, then," he thinks, only realizing he's said it out loud when he hears his own voice in the stillness. Louis calls to him again. Harry repeats the name, turning it over in his mind.

  
"Hazza? You alright?"  
  
"Yeah," Harry calls, letting out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.

  
Harry still hasn't gotten up by the time Louis arrives, setting down his things with a quiet thump. Louis finds him still sitting there, completely in awe of the tiny miracle inside of him. He kneels next to Harry, whispering a soft greeting that tickles Harry's ear, and then settles behind him, shorter legs bracketing Harry's longer ones and small, warm hands gently caressing Harry's tummy. Harry feels Louis' chin rest on his shoulder and turns his head ever so slightly to rest his forehead against Louis' and press their lips together.  
  
"Hey," Louis whispers again, his breath a feathery warmth against Harry's mouth. His hands trace along the laurels tattooed on Harry's lower belly, and Harry feels a warmth spread from Louis' hands and glow in the pit of his stomach. Louis brushes the laurels with his thumbs, so softly and so tenderly, making Harry sigh into his neck.  
  
"How was work today, love?" Louis asks after a quiet pause.  
  
"It was alright. Bit tricky not to eat all the raspberry tarts, though," Harry smiles. He looks over at Louis, still wondering how he got so lucky to have married a man with the sea in his eyes. He kisses Louis again, soft and languid, only stopping to question him about his own day.  
  
"Hmmm," Louis hums, "...well...I had to correct the spelling of 'hubris' in about half of the essays and it was a bit noisy, but that's nothing new." Louis buries his face in Harry's neck, and Harry feels Louis' lips against his skin. He's warm and soft and Harry thinks he could probably stay here like this forever.  
  
There's a soft meow at the doorway just then, and their tiny, lithe little white cat works her way between Louis' school bag and the piles of clothes and books on the floor. Reaching them, she clambers onto Harry's lap, little paws pressing gently on his thighs, and nudges his tummy with her nose, filling Harry with quiet delight.  
  
"Lou, look," he smiles. He lifts Louis' left hand off of his belly and brings it to his mouth to kiss his ring finger, right next to the wide silver wedding band that rests there. He can feel Louis staring at him and he loves, he loves more than he can ever put into words. Gentle kisses once again replace warm thoughts and he loves, he loves, he loves.

 

 


	4. 18 Weeks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The nursery is the perfect place to sleep, according to Harry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi yes i know this is from louis' pov and that's ~inconsistent~ but I really wanted to write soft sleepy harry with a cute little bump and i hope you enjoy!

18 weeks

Rays of sunlight soak the inside of Louis' car, making him squint. As he turns into the driveway of the house, the rays stay with him and seem to follow him inside. He's gotten off work earlier than usual today, deciding he'd mark papers at home so he could spend time with Harry. He drops his bag on the chair and toes off his shoes before padding into the hall, calling out softly to Harry.

It's a bit strange when nothing happens, as he almost always gets a reply of some sort, usually a warm kiss and Harry's arms wrapped around his waist, but strangely there is none today.

"Hazza?" he calls again cautiously. "You alright, love?"

Reaching the top of the stairs, he begins to worry. Is Harry alright? _What if the baby- no_. He pushes the thought out of his mind as he opens the door to the nursery and his knees go soft with relief.

He'd painted it himself a few weeks ago, not wanting Harry to come anywhere near the fumes, and now the room glows with the soft echoes of the sunlight that reflects off of the cream-colored walls. And there, in the rocking chair in the corner that Anne had given them, is Harry.

His eyes are closed, despite the sunlight that dances through his curls and makes his eyelashes cast little shadows on his cheeks. The corners of his mouth are turned up ever so slightly, and his hands, which look as if they'd been holding the book that's now lying face-down on the floor, rest on the little swell of his belly. He's absolutely beautiful, and Louis stands there for a while, completely and utterly filled with love. It's not long before Harry stirs, though, lifting one hand to rub at his eyes and comb through his hair, humming sleepily and moving his other hand over his tummy. Louis steps closer and touches his shoulder ever so gently, greeting Harry softly.

"Haz..."

"Lou, when-" Harry startles, pauses for a moment to yawn, and then continues " - when did you - how long have you been here?"

"Not long, love."

"Oh." Harry pauses, then motions for Louis to come over to the chair. "Could you help me up? Please?" Harry continues hesitantly, looking down at the little swell of his belly, which already pushes out against his shirt, even at 18 weeks. "I know she's not that big yet but I thought it might be good practice," he finishes in a hurried breath.

"Of course, Haz." Louis furrows his eyebrows at Harry's uncertainty. "Why wouldn't I?"

"I don't know." Harry exhales shakily. He's been more emotional lately, and Louis takes it as an opportunity to comfort him as much as he possibly can.

"Harry," he says tenderly, wrapping his arms around Harry in order to help him gently to his feet, "you know you don't ever have to worry, alright?"

Harry folds into his chest, sighing softly into his neck. After a while, he steps back to sleepily rub a hand over his face again. Louis brings his hands down to Harry's belly, rubbing soft, warm circles of assurance. The sunlight has slipped away from Harry's face now, but--

"You're glowing, love," Louis realizes aloud.

"Am I really? But ‘m barely eighteen weeks," Harry whispers.

Louis nods, giving the corner of Harry's mouth a little kiss, then kneels down so that his face is level with Harry’s stomach. He presses kisses along Harry’s laurel tattoos, which cradle the curve of his tummy quite nicely now, and holds the bump, one hand on each side, encircling the baby (which Harry had proudly told him was about the size of an avocado) in his hands.

“Hi, Bug,” he whispers, smiling into Harry’s warm skin. He feels Harry’s hands tangle in his hair and gives the bump another myriad of kisses. He can feel Harry’s breathing quicken and feels a sharp intake of breath, and looks up to see that Harry is crying, eyes closed and a blissful, watery smile shining on his face. Louis gives the bump one last kiss and stands up again without a word, sliding one arm around Harry’s shoulders and the other around the back of his legs, picking him up in one steady motion.

“Lou, no,” Harry protests, his eyes going wide, “please don't, ‘m too heavy, you’ll hurt your-”

“It’s alright, Haz,” Louis replies reassuringly, voice soft and steady. “I’ve got you.”

Harry buries his face in Louis' shoulder, his curls tickling Louis' neck, and places a little kiss on Louis' jaw as Louis carries him into their room and sets him down on their bed. The comforter surrounds Harry and he welcomes its soft, warm embrace, closing his eyes and breathing out softly.

Reaching out, Louis touches Harry’s face gently, tucking a stray curl behind Harry’s ear. His eyes crinkle at the corners, shining with pure love as his hands whisper over Harry's soft hips, leaving only the gentlest of traces. Harry props himself up on his elbows to kiss the corner of Louis' mouth.

"Love you," he says, his voice quiet and rough around the edges, all of his love and exhaustion and gratefulness pouring out in those two words. The last of the rays of sunlight that had soaked Louis earlier that day are fading, disappearing behind a cloud and leaving them both awash in the soft evening glow.


	5. 20 Weeks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a kick. 
> 
> Not like the ones he's felt before, not the tiny quickening flutters, but a real kick. 
> 
> Harry freezes, startled. The stillness surrounds him again and his heart falls. He'd really hoped that he hadn't imagined...oh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hiiii this one's kinda short but there are tiny fluttery baby kicks so...

_20 weeks_

It's only about five in the evening; the hazy late-summer light has only just started to fade from the sky, leaving behind little wisps of clouds in the warm sky. This particular evening, though, Harry finds himself slumped on the couch, absolutely exhausted, while Louis putters about the kitchen warming up leftover pizza.

Mondays have always been a bit rough for him, especially since the start of his pregnancy, but this one, for some reason, has been particularly draining. He pulls up his shirt, uncovering his tummy, and the light of the television flickers like silent fireworks across his bare skin. He lays a hand there gently, murmuring a soft hello.

There's a kick.

Not like the ones he's felt before, not the tiny quickening flutters, but a real kick.

Harry freezes, startled. The stillness surrounds him again and his heart falls. He'd really hoped that he hadn't imagined...oh. There it is again, a little kick right up against his hand.

His mouth drops open in astonishment; he knew this little life inside of him was there, he'd just never...oh. More dainty movements flutter against his hand and he lets out a soft strangled noise, only just realizing that there's a tear making its way down his cheek. He sniffles quietly, taking his hand away from his stomach to wipe the stray tear off his face, and feels another kick, soft and gentle, as if the little life inside of him is comforting him. Warmth radiates from him, glowing happily in the pit of his stomach and spreading outwards.

Louis comes in with two paper plates in hand and begins to ask Harry whether or not he'd like any milk, but his words come to a dead stop when he sees Harry's tear-stained face.

"What's wrong, love?" he asks, dropping the plates on the coffee table and hurrying to lay a soothing hand on Harry's arm.

Harry can only let out a shaky breath through his tears, so he reaches for Louis' hand and gently places it on his lower belly. Immediately the little kicks begin again and Louis' eyes widen.

"Is--was that--" Louis nearly chokes on his words.

Harry nods. "We're having a baby," he says, laughing softly. Louis presses his lips firmly and reassuringly to the corner of Harry's mouth.

"We're having a baby."

 

 

 


	6. 24 Weeks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Opening the bakery in the morning has always been one of Harry's favorite things. The promise of a new day always hovers in the air, lending a lightness to Harry's heart. Even now, when waking up in the morning and putting on pants is beginning to become a bit of an ordeal, he still loves the sweet smell of the previous night's baking that lingers in the air of the bakery.
> 
> (Harry meets some new friends while at work.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this baby moves a lot more than a usual one, doesn't it? oh well, it's cute...anyway, this chapter is dedicated to my friend, who inspired me to write this fic! also please excuse my ignorance of how European/British money works...

_24 weeks_

Opening the bakery in the morning has always been one of Harry's favorite things. The promise of a new day always hovers in the air, lending a lightness to Harry's heart. Even now, when waking up in the morning and putting on pants is beginning to become a bit of an ordeal, he still loves the sweet smell of the previous night's baking that lingers in the air of the bakery.

 

He lifts his apron down from its hook and over his head, tying it behind his back over his shirt. He smoothes his hand over it in the front, smiling as his hands drift over the curve of his belly. He feels the baby squirm and his smile widens as he murmurs a soft little hello. Hearing the bells on the door break out in airy little jingles, he turns around to see Niall come in.

 

"Harry!" exclaims Niall. He slides out of his jacket, throwing it over the back of a chair and coming around to the side of the counter where Harry is standing to greet him. He's always been completely fascinated by the baby and very tactile from the moment Harry told him. He'd claimed the position of godfather, too, right from the start. He pulls back from the hug and the gentle pat on the back he's just given Harry to say, "And how's my little darlin' girl, then?"

 

"Quite an active little darlin' girl," Harry grins.

 

"Just like her papa. Ah, go on then, you two are amazin'," Niall says fondly, shaking his head and trailing off as he disappears into the kitchen. Harry smiles again as he arranges the cupcakes he'd brought out earlier in the display case. It really is quite amazing, he thinks.

 

The day turns out to be a rather busy one since the new chocolate-chip cupcakes are a huge hit.

 

"Sellin' like fuckin' hotcakes," as Niall says.

 

"Or like cupcakes," Harry mumbles softly, partly to himself and partly to the baby, as he slides several more into a bag.

 

The traffic through the shop starts to slow down by about three in the afternoon, and the lull in the stream of customers means that Harry has a chance to finally sit down. He unties his apron and pulls out a chair from one of the little tables in front of the display counter, sitting down in it after draping his apron neatly over the back and sighing. "I love you, bug, but you do tire me out a bit," he admits, looking down at his belly. His hand comes up to rest on the swell of it as he looks absently out the window. It's a rather pretty view; the leaves of the little trees that line the road have begun to change color, yellows and oranges and browns beginning to mix with the green still left over from the summer. Just as he notices the leaves, he hears the door jingle again, and looking over he sees two women come in, both in their late twenties by the looks of it. He shifts in his seat, beginning to get up and greeting them with a "Hello, what can I get you?"

 

The shorter of the two sees him with his hand resting on his stomach and shakes her head in concern.

 

"Oh, please don't get up for us," she says, "just walking here was tiring enough for me and you've probably worked a whole day." Harry can see that she's got a baby bump of her own under her shirt and that her hand settles lightly on top of it as she speaks.

 

The other woman, a tall, tanned woman with warm brown eyes and curly hair that reflects the sun like amber who he assumes is the friend of the first woman, is beside her, eyes wide in concentration as she examines Harry.

 

"You're...you went to Holmes Chapel Comprehensive, didn't you?" she says after a short silence.

 

"I did, yeah," Harry replies, realizing that she does look a bit familiar.

 

She nods. "I'm Carmen, I don't know if you remember me. Used to sit next to you in maths? You, um, you helped me a lot."

 

Memories of the class flood Harry's mind, cork ceiling tiles and harsh white lights illuminating hours upon hours of scribbling. He remembers Carmen, too; she'd come from America for a few years with her parents and she had indeed sat next to him, and they'd sparked a friendship. He remembers sitting on a swing set with her and a few others, talking and laughing about things now long forgotten.

 

Harry stands up, pushing against the table for support. "Of course, Carmen, how are you? It's been a while, hasn't it?" he says as he pulls her into a hug, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and patting her on the back gently. She lets out a soft "Oh," her arms trapped under Harry's, and then reaches up to return the hug. She pulls away after a while and takes Harry gently by the arms.

 

"Look at you," she says fondly, "you're glowing!" She smiles widely and reaches out towards him again, pausing to ask, "Can I...?" Harry nods and she reaches out, touching the bump with gentle fingertips. Harry feels a few shy flutters in response to her touch, but they're enough that she must feel them too.

 

"Oh my god, she's so sweet," she exclaims softly, smiling brightly. Her friend laughs a little and Carmen turns to her.

 

"This is my friend Ann, by the way," she says, "we went to college together. And Ann, this is Harry."

 

"Nice to finally meet you," says the shorter woman, smiling and stepping forwards to shake the hand that Harry extends. "She talks about you all the time." She turns to Carmen, who shrugs, smiling.

 

"I...um, yours is moving, then?" Ann continues, gesturing towards his bump. "And...how far along are you, if you don't mind me asking?" she says, resting her hand on her own bump and blushing a little.

 

"No, no, I don't mind...'m twenty-four weeks, and I think she started moving about when I was twenty weeks," he says, smiling a little at the memory. Ann nods and says that she's twenty-one weeks, and looks as if she's about to say something else, too, but just then, Niall saunters out of the kitchen with a half-eaten lemon cupcake in one hand. He stops short when he sees the little group and then turns to Harry, an almost comical look of confusion alighting on his face. "Hello, who're...what'd I miss?"

 

"This is Niall, everyone, he does most of the work in here lately," Harry says, "and this is Carmen, I went to school with her, and this is her friend Ann. And, um, her baby."

 

Niall greets everyone as politely as possible, then excuses himself. "Gotta use the toilet, been waitin' practically all feckin' day," he grins. Harry laughs and Niall heads back towards the kitchen again after waving his goodbyes.

 

Just then, there's a distinct muffled plinking of a ringtone, and Carmen rummages through her bag, finally pulling out her phone. "Sorry for the rudeness," she says apologetically, "but it's my mum, I've gotta take it."

 

Harry nods. "Dont worry about it...and say hi to her for me," he says, and then continues, motioning towards the door. "You might want to head outside, though, the reception in here's pretty awful." Carmen nods and mouths a quick "thank you", having already answered the call, and pushes open the door, leaving Harry and Ann standing there somewhat awkwardly.

 

"Um...would it be weird if I...?" Ann gestures shyly to Harry's tummy after a short silence. Harry considers for a moment and then shakes his head, reaching for her hand and placing it gently on his belly.

 

"This is Lily," he says softly, looking down at his belly, "and Lily, this is Ann. Well, not Anne as in your gran, but...she's a friend." He feels a series of little kicks up against the woman's hand and he smiles, looking up at Ann's face as her mouth falls open into a half-smile.

 

"Hey, Lily," she says, almost reverently, "I hope you're not causing your dad too much trouble in there." Lily gives another little kick and Ann smiles again, but then she lifts her hand from his belly suddenly and brings it to her own, her eyes widening.

 

"Oh! That...did you feel...she kicked! I've never felt her actually kick before," she says, shaking slightly. She reaches for Harry's hand and brings it to rest on her belly, and he can feel a tiny, soft flutter underneath her shirt. She sways a little, her eyes shining, and Harry steps forward to take her gently by the arms, pulling her towards him and steadying her. He feels Lily move again, as if in sympathy, her little feet whooshing gently. They stay that way for a while until Ann's breathing evens out and she regains her balance and composure.

 

"How has morning sickness been for you?" Ann says, making an attempt to return to their conversation after she's stepped back and thanked him gratefully for not letting her fall.

 

Harry thinks for a moment, and then says, "My first trimester was a bit awful, really, and I still feel a bit off some mornings, but most days are alright. Is yours...do you still get it?"

 

"I still get it a little, yeah, and I can't even look at Brussels sprouts," she says, grimacing a little, "but yeah, it's died down a bit." Harry nods, and they carry on talking about cravings and what formulas people have recommended.

 

Eventually Carmen comes back in, jingling the door again. "Well," she says, putting her phone back into her purse. "It looks like you two bonded a bit, doesn't it? I'm afraid I'll have to break up the conversation now...it was so nice to see you again, Harry! But Ann, we'd better go now, George said he'd be home soon and I'd like to see him for a bit before he goes again," she continues, turning to Ann. Ann nods rather sadly, glancing at Harry and then over at the counter.

 

"I...can I get a muffin before we go?" she says in a quiet, slightly timid voice, ducking her head to look at her feet. "I've been craving one all day, that's why we, um..." she explains, breaking off and gesturing towards the counter. Harry pities her, as just yesterday he really, really wanted one of those tiny clementines for no particular reason.

 

"Not a problem," he declares, taking his apron from the chair where he'd left it, re-tying it behind his back, and guiding Ann towards the counter.

 

"Thank you," she says, blushing again. "I'm really sorry for putting you through the trouble."

 

"It's honestly no trouble at all," promises Harry earnestly, putting a blueberry muffin in a bag and handing it across the counter to Ann. She takes it and gives him a fiver, telling him with a smile to keep the change and eat something for the baby. She and Carmen turn to leave and Carmen gives him a friendly wave, but Harry steps from behind the counter again, with a little cry of "Wait!" and hurries across the room as best he can to wrap Carmen in another hug, which she returns again with a smile. He pulls back, kissing her on both cheeks and telling her to come visit soon before turning to Ann, who stands there looking a bit unsure of what to do. He wraps his arms around her now, too; she's quite warm and smells faintly of nutmeg. She lets out a little surprised laugh before hugging him back and giving him a little kiss on the cheek.

 

"Take care of yourself and the baby, alright?" she says.

 

"She'll be beautiful," adds Carmen.

 

"Thank you," Harry calls the two walk towards the door. They each give a friendly wave as they open the door and disappear into the evening.

***

Harry tells Louis about his little bakery adventure later that evening when they're both getting ready for bed. He's so sleepy he can hardly keep his eyes open, though, and Louis pulls him into bed, draping his hand over the swell Harry's tummy, radiating warmth as they fall asleep.

 

 


	7. 30 Weeks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's too warm under the blankets, despite the fact that the wind is howling outside, and Harry wakes to find himself tangled in them with his shirt tucked up over the bump. He'd never expected that sleeping would be such an ordeal.
> 
> or
> 
> Harry's wakefulness turns out to be more beautiful than he thinks it will be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hiii happy fourth of july (if you celebrate it; if not then happy fourth of july anyway but not celebrated)! this chapter has nothing to do with the holiday but oh well...but it's got warm soft baby bump so it's okay

_30 weeks_

It's too warm under the blankets, despite the fact that the wind is howling outside, and Harry wakes to find himself tangled in them with his shirt tucked up over the bump. He'd never expected that sleeping would be such an ordeal. He shifts a bit to pull his shirt down and feels Louis' hand resting warm and heavy on the curve of his belly. _Oh_. He doesn't want to disturb Louis, but then again he's really quite uncomfortable. He shifts again gently, pulling his shirt further up his belly in an attempt to roll onto his side.   
  
Eventually, he somehow manages to get up and go to the toilet without waking Louis. He closes the bathroom door and flips on the light, bathing the room in a dim glow. He relieves himself and washes his hands, looking up into the mirror as he does. His hair is tousled from sleep, curling gently behind his ears. He brings a hand to his face to touch his cheeks, which have filled out with the baby weight and are rosy in the soft light, and then reaches down to run his hands over his soft hips. He looks down at the bump and smiles, kissing his fingertips and pressing them gently to the underside of his belly through the soft grey of his sleep shirt, receiving a sleepy little squirm in return.

 

He shuts off the light and ambles softly back towards the bed where Louis is sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "Harry?" he says, voice thick and rough with sleep. "Everything alright?"

 

"Yeah. Just had to..." Harry trails off, gesturing towards the toilet.

 

"Oh." Harry can see Louis' shoulders relax as he beckons Harry back to bed. He's switched on the little bedside lamp beside him and his features are beautifully outlined, right down to the eyelashes that rest lightly on his cheeks when he closes his eyes. Harry carefully lowers himself onto the bed, one hand tucked under his belly for support, and Louis lays down, rolling over to face him and scooting down so that his face is level with the baby. Harry feels her move, kicking her little feet and fully awake now, and Louis smiles against his skin.

 

"Kicked me in the face," whispers Louis with quiet joy in his voice, lifting his hand to caress the bump. A particularly hard kick makes her tiny foot stand out and Louis reaches up to cover the spot with his hand, gently brushing it with his fingertips.   
  
"Look at that," he marvels, looking up at Harry, and Harry feels his throat tighten and takes a deep breath and amazing is the only word he has in his mind. Louis scoots back up to plant a gentle kiss on the corner of Harry's mouth, his hand never leaving the bump. Louis' breath falls warm on Harry's forehead as Harry nestles against his neck, pressing tiny kisses against his jaw. Harry feels Louis take his hand away from his belly after a while and feels him pull away to take Harry's face in his hands.

 

"I'm...I can't wait to meet her, Haz," he says softly. The golden light of the lamp kisses his face, making his skin glow.

 

"Me either," replies Harry, and then there's a short silence that accompanies a few tender kisses. Harry settles back into Louis' shoulder with a little sigh. His eyelids flutter shut and he falls asleep, nestled against Louis' comforting warmth.

 

 


	8. 32 Weeks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry frowns sympathetically and takes his hand off the wall, then makes his way over to the counter next to the oven to start clearing away the mess he’d made making the cake. “Sorry to cause you trouble, ehm...” he peers at her nametag “...Stella,” he says, filling up a bowl with water.
> 
> or
> 
> Harry hires help for the bakery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> am i posting another chapter today? absolutely. it was sort of an unnecessary chapter but i banged it out and ended up liking it so here it is! also sorry for the fact that i have no experience with uni or anything but i thiiiink i did okay? feel free to correct me if i didn't!

_32 weeks_

Harry puts the pan in the oven and sits down, sighing heavily. Baking didn't use to take such a toll on him like this, but now that he's closer to his due date, everything he does tires him out like nothing he's ever experienced. He's technically supposed to be on leave now, but he'd felt bad (and a bit scared of) leaving Niall alone at the bakery, so he'd interviewed a small group of people, mostly uni-aged ones, to stand in for him. He'd been fairly satisfied with the person he'd chosen, a rather short, light-haired girl majoring in culinary arts. Today, though, is his last day; he’d wanted to come in one last time before he left everything to Niall and an 18-year-old. He chuckles a little at the thought, but he’s quickly brought to seriousness as a little foot finds its way between his ribs. He groans a little in pain and braces himself against the wall, taking slow breaths and whispering to Lily.

 

“Oooh...Lily, love, your foot doesn’t belong in Papa’s ribs, does it?” he breathes. He pokes the side of the bump gently in an attempt to get her to move the troubling foot. Somewhat surprisingly, she obliges and pulls her foot back to where it belongs, making Harry feel a little sigh and rub the bump gratefully (he’s unconsciously taken to thinking of his tummy as The Bump now, with capitals and everything).

 

Just then, the new assistant pokes her head in the door. “Mr. Tomlinson, d’you mind my asking where the...oh.” She breaks off when she sees him braced against the wall. “Are you alright?” she asks timidly, inching closer. “D’you need me to call someone?”

 

Harry laughs a little and shakes his head. “No, ‘m alright, love,” he says, “just a foot in the ribs. You must think ‘m exceptionally strange, sorry about that.”

 

She smiles and shakes her head. “Not really,” she ventures, “just glad you’re alright, to be completely honest. I would’ve been scared totally shitless if you’d gone into labor or something like tha'.”

 

Harry frowns sympathetically and takes his hand off the wall, then makes his way over to the counter next to the oven to start clearing away the mess he’d made making the cake. “Sorry to cause you trouble, ehm...” he peers at her nametag “...Stella,” he says, filling up a bowl with water.

 

She comes over and takes the bowl out of his hands. “None of that for you,” she chirps, placing the bowl in the sink. “I’ll do these old dishes an’ you go put your feet up, yeah?”

 

Harry chuckles and pats her back. “You’re very kind, but ‘s my last day...’m gonna check up on everything before I go, but thank you...and, ehm, you can definitely do the dishes if you’d like.”

 

She smiles and gives him a little nod. “Go on then, Mr. Tomlinson,” she says, “I’ll handle the rest. Good luck with the baby!”

 

Harry grins and blows a kiss to her, then waddles (yes, waddles; he even admits it now) out to the front counter of the store and taps Niall on the shoulder. “Gonna make my way home now, Ni,” he says, perching that’s not occupied with resting on Niall’s shoulder on his back.

 

“Right,” Niall nods, grinning widely, “no more bakin’ for you, preggo.”

 

Harry pouts a little, then chuckles and gives his shoulder a little pat before hanging up his apron and putting on his coat (which just barely buttons over the bump) and heads out the door past a little gaggle of customers.

 

Getting into the car is an ordeal, which is becoming usual, but thankfully driving home in the light flurry of snow is not, and thinking that his last day of work before his leave went smoothly is equally pleasing.

 

 


	9. 34 Weeks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a tiny noise, a desperate little sniffly hiccup that floats through the cold air and nearly breaks Harry's heart. He snaps his gaze from the sky and scans the dusky playground for the source of the noise. His eyes finally catch on a spot of light blue that stands out against the other end of the swing set and he does a double take. A closer look reveals that what had been only a spot of blue before is a little girl, and it's her sad sniffle that’s been pulling at Harry's heart.
> 
> or
> 
> Harry and Louis make a tiny friend at the park on a chilly day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hiiii it feels weird posting this because it's july rn but here have some chilly, red-nosed, park-going husbands

34 weeks

It's freezing, and Harry shivers a little as he gets out of the car and pulls on his coat and mittens. He buttons his coat over the bump just as he hears Louis' door shut, and feels a familiar pair of hands wrap around his waist, coming to rest on the bump. "Ready?" he whispers, tilting his head a little to kiss Louis' cheek. Louis nods and untangles himself from Harry, lacing their hands together as they begin to walk toward the little row of swings.

  
  
"How about right here?" Louis says as they near the swings. Harry nods. "It'll be just like our first date," he says, almost reverently, as he squeezes Louis' hand and seats himself carefully on the swing, cradling his belly and letting out a soft "oof" as he relaxes into the seat. Both the seat and the chains are frigid, the cold of the plastic and metal seeping through Harry's clothes and mittens and making him shiver again. 

  
"You alright, Haz? D'you need my coat?" Louis' forehead wrinkles in concern and he starts to undo the buttons on his coat.

  
  
"No, no, 'm okay. Got a little furnace inside me, remember?" Harry says, a half smile spreading across his face. "The cold just kind of...surprised me. You keep it, stay warm." 

  
Louis smiles at him and buttons up his coat again. Harry looks up to the sky, taking in the beauty of the November dusk. The branches of the trees are bare and cut little shapes against the dusty purple sky. It's quite a lovely sight and Harry is about to say something about it (granted, something sloppily poetic which Louis would’ve laughed at) when something else catches his attention.

  
  
It's a tiny noise, a desperate little sniffly hiccup that floats through the cold air and nearly breaks Harry's heart. He snaps his gaze from the sky and scans the dusky playground for the source of the noise. His eyes finally catch on a spot of light blue that stands out against the other end of the swing set and he does a double take. A closer look reveals that what had been only a spot of blue before is a little girl, and it's her sad sniffle that’s been pulling at Harry's heart. He looks up at Louis, giving him a glance full of unspoken worry, and then pushes himself up off of the swing with a soft grunt. He hears Louis get up and follow closely behind him as he slowly and carefully approaches the little girl. As he comes closer, he can see that she's holding onto the post of the swing set for dear life and that there are tears streaming down her tiny cheeks, which are red from the cold, and his heart clenches in sympathy.

  
  
"Excuse me, love," he hears Louis say as he comes up from behind, "you alright?"

  
  
"I c-can't find my mummy," the child sniffles, wiping at her nose with the sleeve of her jacket.

  
  
"D'you know where you last saw her?" Louis says, his voice soft and comforting. "This park isn't too big, she can't be too far."

  
  
"I...I think...I don't know," she whispers. Her lip trembles and she starts to sob again.

 

 

Harry feels a kick against his ribs, as if the baby is as worried about this little one as he is. All of a sudden, the little girl throws herself against Harry's legs, wrapping her arms around him and holding on for dear life, and Harry can feel her anguished little sobs through his whole body. He reaches down to stroke her hair comfortingly. "Hey, hey," he says, crouching down as best he can to rub her back, "we'll find her, don't you worry." 

 

He looks up to see a worried frown on Louis' face. "Yeah, please don't worry. I'm Louis, and this is Harry," he says, crouching down to speak to the child, "and we're gonna help you find your mum, yeah?"

  
  
The little girl nods hesitantly against Harry's legs and then pulls away, wiping at her eyes with her hands, which Harry notices are bare and chapped from the cold.

  
  
"Here." Harry carefully lowers himself onto his knees in front of the child and then pulls off his mittens, pulling the soft sleeve of his shirt out from under the more coarse sleeves of his coat to wipe her eyes and nose. He finishes cleaning her up and pulls his mittens over her tiny hands. She giggles; they cover most of her forearms. 

  
"They might be a bit big," Harry grins, "but they'll keep your hands nice and warm. Oh, and...what's your name, little one?"

  
  
"I'm Rose," she says, still sniffling a little.

  
"Tha's a pretty name," says Louis from above Harry. "Well then, Rose, let's find your mummy, shall we?"

  
  
Rose nods, and Harry looks up at Louis, who offers his hand. Harry heaves himself up and mouths a little "thank you", blowing Louis a kiss, then looks down at little Rose and offers her his hand. She reaches up to take it, and Harry marvels at her tiny, sweet little grasp.  

  
  
"You know, Rose," he says, "I wish I could give you a piggyback."

 

  
"Why can't you?" her little lispy voice comes up through the cold air. "Is it because of your big tummy? Are you having a baby?"

  
  
Harry nods, looking down at her again and blushing a little at her innocent stream of questions. "It is,” he smiles, “don't want to hurt the little one." He presses his hand to his belly, then glances down at Rose again. "You're very clever, aren't you?" he says, and Rose beams at him.

 

"I can give you a ride, love," Louis says, crouching down. Rose claps her little hands gleefully and scrambles onto his back as Harry watches fondly.

  
  
"How old are you then, Rose?" Louis asks once Rose is settled on his back and the three of them have started walking again.

  
  
"I'm six," Rose says, proudly holding up three fingers on each hand inside Harry's mitten.

  
  
"You're quite the big girl, then, aren't you?" Harry replies, smiling up at her.

  
  
"I have a big brother, too," she continues, "but he's reaaaally old. He's twelve."

  
  
"Oh," Louis says, laughing, "Harry and I must be ancient to you, then."

  
  
"No," Rose says matter-of-factly, shaking her head, "you look the same age as my mummy."

  
  
Louis gives a dramatic sigh of playful relief, making Rose giggle and bury her face in his hair. She reaches forward to touch his face, gently brushing the bit of stubble on his cheek. "You remind me of my daddy, Mr. Louis," she says, her little voice breaking through the cold air of the quiet evening like a skate on ice. "He has a scruffy face sometimes, too." 

  
"Do I?" Louis grins, touching his face a little self-consciously. “Haven’t shaved in a few days, that’s probably why.”

  
  
Rose nods enthusiastically. "You're gonna be a good daddy," she whispers, just loud enough for Harry to hear, "I can tell."

  
  
Louis looks over at Harry with a look in his eyes that makes Harry's heart jump in his chest. "That means the world to me, Rose," he says honestly, giving Rose's knee a little squeeze of gratitude.

 

Suddenly, a woman's shout brings the little group to a stop. "Is that your mummy?" Harry asks, looking over at Rose, who nods enthusiastically as Louis crouches down to let her off his back, and Harry calls back with a resounding "Hello!"

  
  
He can just make out the outline of a woman under the lights of the park's entrance, and he heads towards her. Rose's small, clear voice rings out as she runs toward her mother, and Louis catches up to Harry to take his hand. They watch Rose's mother rush toward her, crouching to gather her daughter into her arms.

  
  
"Hello...I'm Louis, and this is Harry," Louis says, a little breathlessly, when they finally catch up, "and, er, we found your daughter by the swings."

  
  
"I hope it's alright that we brought her over," Harry adds, his nose stuffed a bit from the cold.

  
  
"Of course, thank you so much," says the woman, holding Rose close to her and stroking her hair, "I couldn't find her for so long...she wandered off to play, but I didn't...I didn't know where she went...thank you for bringing her back to me." She kisses Rose's little head, a grateful smile on her face.

  
  
“Of course, ’m really glad we could help,” Harry answers, smiling and idly resting his hand on top of the bump.

  
  
"Oh, and you're expecting, too, I'm so sorry you had to go through this," Rose's mother exclaims, a look of frantic concern on her face.

  
  
"Honestly, don't worry yourself, Rose was lovely," Harry replies, reaching out to touch the woman's arm comfortingly.

  
  
"Yeah, she's a sweet little thing," Louis adds with a smile, "and she wasn't any trouble at all. And I'm a teacher, so this is what I do, y’know?"

  
  
"You're so nice, both of you. And oh, he even let you wear his mittens, didn't he, Rosie?" She crouches down again and starts to help Rose take off the mittens, but Harry stops her.

  
  
"No, no, keep 'em," he insists, "they'll keep you nice and toasty."

  
  
"Oh, thank you," Rose's mother says, giving them both a grateful and rather exhausted smile, "thank you so much. What do you say, Rose?"

  
  
Rose's little face lights up as she singsongs a little, "Thank you, Louis! Thank you, Harry!"

 

"Thank you, Rose, it was a pleasure to meet you," Harry says sincerely. Louis nods, adding, "It was really nice to meet you, Rose. You've been lovely, darling."

  
  
Rose is apparently quite touched by these goodbyes and rushes toward Louis, wrapping her arms around his shoulders where he's still crouched on the ground, and Louis hesitates only a second before laughing a little and hugging her back.

  
  
"Bye now, love," Louis says, pulling back and placing his hands gently on her arms. "Be careful and stay by your mum!"

  
  
Rose nods in that solemn way that only a child can. "I will," she says. "Bye Louis!"

  
  
Harry had been standing off to the side a bit, watching all of this with a fond gaze, but now little Rose approaches him, wraps her arms around his legs, and leans up on her tiptoes to open Harry's coat a little and carefully press a kiss to his belly. "Bye, little baby!" she whispers, and Harry presses a hand to the bump and blows her a little kiss as she pulls away to take her mother's hand. She looks back over her shoulder and catches it with a smile as she walks toward her car.

  
  
Silence fills the space she's left, and Harry reaches for Louis' hand again.

  
  
"Harry...?"

  
  
"Hmm?"

  
  
"Nothin’...you were really good with her, tha’s all."

  
  
Harry smiles gently down at his belly and squeezes Louis' hand. "I'm glad. But so are you, love, you're the one who carried her and kept her mind off her worries."

  
  
"I'm a teacher, Haz, 's what I do," Louis replies with a little grin, "but you...Lily's one lucky girl to have a papa like you."

  
  
As they talk, they've been ambling along, and now they come to a little bench, and Louis helps Harry sit down. They sit in comfortable silence for a little while as the dusk slowly turns to dark around them.

  
  
"You hungry?" Louis asks after a while, voice soft to match the calm of the evening. "D'you need anything?"

  
  
Harry closes his eyes and lays his head on louis' shoulder. "All I really need is you." He pauses, reconsidering, and then laughs a little. "Well, ehm...maybe I am a bit hungry."

 

“You sap,” Louis chortles softly. “But we’ll get you something to eat right away.”

 

 


	10. 38 Weeks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis just smiles and settles down in the bed again, rolling over to rest his chin lightly on the bump. “What d’you think, Lily?” he coos, lifting the covers and pressing his warm lips against Harry’s skin. “Are you ready for life outside the womb?”
> 
> or 
> 
> A cuddle with the bump and lots of fluff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hiiii sorry i haven't posted a chapter in a while, i was on vacation...but this is the second-to-last chapter! anyway, enjoy some cuddles and fluff.

_38 Weeks_

 

“Your baby has really plumped up,” Harry reads from his phone, resting against the small mountain of pillows piled against the headboard of the bed. “She weighs about 6.8 pounds…no she doesn’t,” he laughs, caressing the bump with his thumb, “more like seven or eight in your case, Bug.” He looks over at Louis and grins, then keeps reading. “She is over 19 1/2 inches long, about the size of a leek.” He looks up. “A leek?” he giggles, “I can’t think of our little girl as a leek!”

 

“Just for size comparison, love,” Louis grins, pushing his glasses up his nose a little. Harry can’t help himself, as often happens when Louis has his glasses on and looks all soft like this, and he leans over and pecks the corner of his sleep-soft lips before reading again.

 

“She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time...aaaaand her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.” Harry puts his phone down and pokes the bump softly. “So technically you could come out now, couldn’t you?” he says. “Time for you to vacate the premises,” he continues, putting on a playfully stern voice.

 

Louis chuckles and runs his hand through Harry’s hair. “Not quite, love,” he says gently, “besides, I thought you liked her in that tummy of yours...thought you said it was nice to keep her cozy.”

 

“Weeeell...yes and no,” Harry sighs. “I do like keeping her cozy, but at this point she’s more cramped than cozy and ‘m completely ready for her to come out and meet us.”

 

Louis just smiles and settles down in the bed again, rolling over to rest his chin lightly on the bump. “What d’you think, Lily?” he coos, lifting the covers and pressing his warm lips against Harry’s skin. “Are you ready for life outside the womb?”

 

Harry smiles softly and shakes his head a little. “I highly doubt she’ll want to leave,” he says, struggling a little to reach down to run his hand through Louis’ hair. “Oooah...can barely reach over you anymore, Bug...Papa thinks ‘s almost time for you to come.”

 

A second later, his words are answered with a soft little kick against the top of the bump. Harry smiles down at the little foot, then raises his eyebrows. “You certainly feel ready, you’re already, ehm...upside down.” He looks up at Louis. “There’s a term for that, I know there is.”

 

Louis grins up at him and kisses his way up the bump. “She’ll be here soon, tha’s for sure,” he mumbles against Harry’s soft skin. “Soon.”

 

 


	11. 40 Weeks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Isn’t she lovely_ , Louis sings softly into Harry’s ear.
> 
>  
> 
> And yes, Harry thinks, she is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> last chapter ahhh! pretty sure there's lots of medical inaccuracy but i hope anyone who's read this fic has enjoyed it!

_40 Weeks_

 

Overdue. It’s all Harry can think about as he opens his eyes blearily and squints at the early morning light that streams through the window. He sighs and shuts his eyes, then rolls clumsily onto his back. Which, of course, he immediately regrets, because there’s Lily resting heavily on his bladder. He swears softly under his breath and pulls back the covers, then pushes himself up off the bed. He waddles as quickly as he can into the bathroom, not even bothering to shut the door as he shoves away his boxers and relieves himself. He sighs a little when he finishes and washes his hands, looking into the mirror at the bags under his eyes. Puffing out a big breath of air, he starts back towards the bed.

 

_Fuck._

 

It starts in the very bottom of his belly, then moves to the rest of the bump and squeezes, making Harry freeze and cry out, clutching the dresser for support. The pain spreads in waves and all his muscles feel tight and his heart feels as if it’s stopped but at the same time it feels like it’s beating at a million miles per hour. He cries out again, this time clutching the bump frantically, as if somehow the little life inside of him can save him from this.

 

Louis bolts up at the first cry and springs out of bed so fast that Harry would’ve laughed at him if he wasn’t hurting so much. He’s at Harry’s side almost immediately, whispering soothing words into his ear and rubbing his back, his voice rough from sleep.

 

“Breathe, love,” he coos, almost as if he’s talking to a baby, which...is blindingly ironic. “Breathe. Nice slow breaths for me now Haz, yeah?”

 

Harry nods as best he can and takes a few breaths, squeezing his eyes shut and momentarily not caring how he looks.

 

That changes once the contraction ends, though. Because, of course, that’s what it is; Harry doesn’t know why, but he can tell that this is different from the Braxton Hicks contractions he’d been having, this is the real deal. Louis sits him down on their bed, then quickly pulls on a pair of jeans, not even bothering to change his shirt or, even more unusually, comb a hand through his hair.

 

“No hair routine today?” Harry asks with his eyebrows raised a little, still panting slightly from the contraction.

 

Louis shakes his head. “Not when my baby’s about to have a baby,” he says, smiling nervously at Harry and hoisting the three hospital bags they’d pre-packed a few weeks before onto his shoulder.

 

“I could probably carry one of those,” Harry offers, starting to get up. Louis quickly drops all of the bags and rush over to him to sit him down again.   
  


“None of that for you today,” he says, smoothing back Harry’s curls. “Can’t have you straining y’self or the baby, can we?”

 

“No, I guess not,” Harry concedes, sitting down on the bed again. “But ‘m hoping you’ll at least let me put on pants before we go to the hospital, they’re sort of a necessity.”

 

Louis tosses him a pair of sweatpants. “Here, wear these,” he says, picking up the bags again, “I will absolutely _not_  have you in skinnies, not today.”

 

Harry pouts a little, but his back hurts too much for him to actively protest, so he carefully pulls on the sweatpants and stands up as slowly, he thinks, as he ever has in his entire life. Louis quickly comes over to take his arm and help him down the stairs, which they achieve in a record-breaking two minutes, then sits him down in one of the kitchen chairs. “You wait here while I bring out these bags, yeah?” he says, kissing Harry’s forehead. Harry nods obediently and sits as best he can until Louis comes back and helps him out to the car, which is quite the process. The snow from last night is still swirling through the air, and Harry can’t help but think that it’s a little bit magical as he shifts in his seat and pulls the buckle over his lap.

 

“All ready, then,” Louis puffs, climbing into the driver’s seat beside Harry, “let’s go meet our baby.”

 

“Wow...that sorta jus’ hit me,” Harry breathes. “We’re gonna meet her.”

 

“Yeah, love,” Louis grins, starting the car and pulling out of their driveway, “we’re gonna meet her.”

 

***

By the time they get to the hospital, Harry’s had another contraction and is already wishing they would stop. Louis helps him out of the car and up to the front desk after getting the hospital bags. The man at the desk, who looks suspiciously like a new employee, takes Harry’s name and pages a nurse for him. “Alright, nurse’ll be here in a minute with a wheelchair for you, an’ for now you can sit right over here,” he says, pointing to a row of seats. Louis helps him sit again, but only for a second; just as they sit down, the nurse wheels in the wheelchair and calls cheerily, “Harry?”

 

Harry groans quietly and pulls himself up on Louis’ arm, then shuffles over to the nurse and smiles tightly as he sits down in the wheelchair. “Hello,” he croaks, looking up at the nurse, “you may get a workout from pushin’ us around, we’re a bit heavy.”

 

The nurse just laughs and wheels him away, beckoning Louis to follow her. “It’s alright, you and your baby are a normal weight, it seems to me.” She carries on explaining what will happen once he’s in the delivery room, but Harry only half listens. Most of him is uncomfortably tense, but the other part of him can only think of meeting the little girl he’s carried for so long.

 

When the nurse finally wheels him into the delivery suite, he chews his bottom lip as he changes into the hospital gown. It feels foreign to take off his clothes here; even though he knows it’s only for the C-section, it still feels wrong to take them off, like they’re meant to keep Lily safe and warm. Louis seems to sense this, though, and takes Harry’s hand once he’s laid out on the bed.

 

“The newest fashion for extremely pregnant Harrys,” he grins. Harry pretends not to notice the fact that he’s nervously jiggling his leg somewhere out of his line of vision and instead just nods, squeezing Louis' hand as the team of nurses set up the barrier and begin to prep him.

 

His tenseness and discomfort start to improve slightly after the nurse gives him the proper medicine, and he’s so thankful for it that he’s sure he could burst into tears at any second, but instead he squeezes Louis’ hand and takes a deep breath. Louis squeezes back comfortingly, then pulls his phone out of his pocket.

 

“One last picture with just the two of us?” he whispers, leaning close to Harry and pressing the tip of his nose against Harry’s flushed cheek.

 

“Louiiiiis,” Harry groans, “I look like ‘m about to serve some student their lunch, look at this awful cap thing!”

 

Louis giggles. “Gonna put that in the caption now, since you mentioned it...but go on, take it off for a second if y’don’t like it that much, ‘m gonna take the picture anyhow.”

 

Harry rolls his eyes fondly and takes it off, then looks over at Louis. “I feel silly looking at the camera,” he mumbles, “so ‘m just gonna look at you.”

 

“Don’t have an issue with tha’,” Louis grins, turning his face toward the camera and smiling widely as he snaps the picture. “Ah, perfect.”

 

The doctor peers over the barrier and smiles comfortingly at Harry. “We’re gonna start this now, it shouldn’t take long an’ you’ll have your little girl in no time,” she says. Harry nods, and she disappears behind the barrier again.

 

Louis puts Harry's cap back on for him, then takes Harry’s hand and squeezes it gently. “This’s it, then,” he says quietly, “no more quiet nights for years on end.”

 

Harry pouts. “Be supportive, I don’t want her to think y’don’t like her.”

 

“Only joking, babe,” Louis replies, patting Harry’s hand. Just then, Harry feels some of the weight lift away and his breath hitches in his throat.

 

“Louis,” he whispers, looking frantically into Louis’ eyes, “I think she’s out n--”

 

A tiny, soft little cry interrupts him, and he watches, completely frozen, as Louis jerk his head up to look past the barrier. The doctor motions for Louis to come and cut the cord, and Harry tearfully watches him get up and walk shakily past the barrier. After a few seconds, he comes back and sits down next to the bed to stroke Harry’s cheek gently.

 

“She’s beautiful, Haz,” he says, his voice trembling slightly with emotion. Harry bites his lip, holding back both smiles and tears as the nurse cleans her up and then brings her over in a tiny bundle of soft hospital blankets and places the baby in his arms with a smile and a whispered comment about how beautiful she is. Harry smiles gratefully at her, then looks down at his little bundle.

 

She’s beautiful. Her peachy little face is surrounded by the soft blankets, and her long eyelashes rest softly on her tiny, plump cheeks. Harry’s sure that time stops when he looks at her, which, in hindsight, is probably going to be the cheesiest thing he’s ever thought, but in that moment it’s the truest, purest thing in the world. He sees Louis lean over out of the corner of his eye, but his gaze lingers on the tiny life in his arms.

 _Isn’t she lovely_ , Louis sings softly into Harry’s ear.

 

And yes, Harry thinks, she is.

 

 


End file.
